


The Art of Negotiation

by Kage88



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, M/M, how do I tag this?, just get together already!, shinobi betting pool, what is this nonsense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-04
Updated: 2018-06-04
Packaged: 2019-05-18 06:45:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14847755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kage88/pseuds/Kage88
Summary: The trip to Uzushio was tense, Madara is a bit jealous and Tobirama just wants some sushi.





	The Art of Negotiation

**Author's Note:**

  * For [raendown](https://archiveofourown.org/users/raendown/gifts).



> This is so much longer than I had planned.

Hashirama was fidgiting something awful after lunch. It was one of the rare days that Tobirama didn't come into work. Normally those days were fairly lazy, which drove Madara nuts. He understood wanting to take things easy now and then, but it seemed like Hashirama would only work if his little brother or his wife were there to scold him. Today it was different.

Hashirama was nearly done with his paperwork, flying through it at record speed and constantly monitoring the time. Finally Madara had had enough.

"What's with you today?!"

"We have that diplomatic visit to Uzushio tomorrow!"

At Madara's unimpressed snort Hashirama flailed his arms around.  
"You don't understand! Every single time someone tries to seduce Tobi away from us! I have to be able to keep those pervs away from him! I can't do that if I'm stuck catching up on paperwork!"

Madara felt his jaw drop a little bit as Hashirama continued to fly through his paperwork, rambling away.

"Every fucking time Madara! It never fails! Last time my asshole of a brother-in-law tried to kiss him!"

The brush in his friend's hand started sprouting leaves n little twigs as his control over his chakra slipped. Hashirama didn't seem to notice and he continued ranting.

"The year before Mito's cousin grabbed his ass! Said she couldn't resist, then she asked him over for wine and 'a good time'!"

Madara squirmed a little. He could understand Mito's cousin, Tobirama had very nice ass. He mentally applauded her for getting a handful of it.

At least, he did at first. Right up until Hashirama hissed, "even after he'd asked her to leave him be!"  
A cold ball formed in his stomach at that.

"They push him even when he tells them no?"

"Oh not all of them. But enough. If it weren't for the fact we need the alliance I wouldn't ask Tobi to go with me at all. But I'm there for the village. Tobi has to represent the clan. Anything less would be an insult to Mito's Mother."

There was very obvious disgust in his friend's voice at the mention of his mother-in-law.

... Maybe having Izuna along was a good idea. He'd become somewhat protective of Tobirama over the past couple years, shocking everyone who knew them. After the fight and Izuna's close brush with death everyone thought the peace would be broken by another fight between the two. Instead of fighting however, Izuna apologized, for what he didn't say. But it wasn't long after that that he started defending the pale man. And Tobirama... tolerated it. With many eyerolls and sighs, true, but he put up with it none the less. 

"Izuna has been complaining about being stuck in the village for so long. I'm sure he would be happy to keep your brother company."

It was impossible to miss how some of the tension left his friend. His shoulders drooped and the lines of stress eased into something more manageable. 

"Please."

***

Izuna was eyeing him suspiciously after he'd asked him to go to Uzushio with them. Not surprising after the last month of Madara fretting over him. The surgery to swap their eyes had gone well, but during the recovery period Izuna had developed an infection. It hadn't been pretty and Madara and the healers, Hashirama included, insisted that he stay in the village for several weeks to watch for any lingering issues. It was supposed to be another two weeks, but... 

Well anyway, he should be pleased to get out for a bit. Even if it's for a boring diplomatic mission. That being said, something was very very wrong. His big brother shouldn't be so bothered by a diplomatic visit to a solid ally.

"Madara, what happened? Why are you worried enough about this mission that you would cut down on my recovery time? Not" He cut Madara off when it looked like he was having second thoughts, "that I don't appreciate it. I'm bored out of my skull. But why?"

Madara's eyes darted away from his before his brother visibly forced himself to make and keep eye contact.

"Hashirama is worried about his brother. Apparently there are some rather unsavory characters in his wife's family that don't understand the word 'no' and have been... grabby."

Ah, that would be why. Someone touched... someone had...

"Someone's tried to force...!?"

"Grabbed his ass, propositioned him. One tried to corner and kiss him. Hashirama has been able to stop them, and no doubt Tobirama could as well. But... they have to do it diplomatically. The village needs this alliance. And they're Hashirama's in-laws."

Izuna could feel his eyes burning so he took a few calming breaths. Once he was sure his temper was under control he gave his brother a sharp nod.

"Let me pack. Between the three of us none of them will have a chance to touch him."

No. Izuna was under no illusions that he or Madara would be diplomatic if they caught anyone trying anything with their Senju. Tobirama was as good as Izuna's little brother at this point. And he knew Madara was working up the nerve to ask the younger man out. It was amusing to Izuna that his brother, so confident in battle and in his dream of peace, was so scared of asking someone on a date. Izuna, Hashirama, Hikaku, Touka and Mito had placed bets on when he would crack. This mission might just push him into it.

If it did then Izuna won the pot. Though the winnings would likely go to paying reparations to whoever he happened to dismember. Indecent bastards grabbing one of his precious people would not be tolerated. 

***

The Uzumaki were... bright. Very bright. And loud. Oh stars, were they loud. The odd ones out seemed to be the clan head, Uzumaki Mika and her son Manzo. Tobirama looked at them with the same cold disdain he'd once looked at Izuna with. It wasn't a look Izuna had missed and he found himself hating the two just a bit more for putting that look on Tobirama's face again. Manzo sneered back causing Madara to bristle. Thankfully Mito stepped forward and broke the silent battle between her elder brother and her beloved little brother.

"Mother, Manzo-Ni-sama." Mito's greeting was stiff and formal.

"Imoto."

"Musume."

The matriarch of the Uzumaki turned on her heel and motioned for them to follow. Madara and Izuna moved to stand on either side of Tobirama when Manzo moved closer to the group. He gave them a dirty look but took up the space on Mito's right with a look of pure annoyance. 

"Shouldn't you be on the other side of your husband?" He sneered.

"The Senju have different customs, unless you've forgotten last year already?"

The man paled so rapidly, and the Senju brothers smirked so viciously, that Madara honestly wondered why Hashirama had been worried. But then he noticed the tense set to the younger man's shoulders. As casually as he could Madara let his shoulder bump gently against Tobirama. He very nearly tripped over himself when he felt the man subtly lean into his support, but he managed to keep composed. Keeping his heart under control was a different story. The traitorous thing nearly beat out of his chest.

Fingers twitching with the urge to hold and never let go, Madara faced forward and refused to look at the beatiful man beside him. So he missed the soft look and wistful smile directed at him.

***

Trade negotiations were the worst. Partly due to the tension between the two groups, if he was honest. Madara really needed to get the full story from someone about what happened the last few visits.

Manzo would start to leer at Tobirama, then abruptly flinch and look back at his notes. Mika had a scowl permanently etched across her cold features as she glared at her daughter. In turn, Hashirama had plastered on a calm look that Madara knew ment he was counting the ways he could kill the people he was dealing with. Kinda nice to see that look aimed at some one other than his favorite aunt, or even some of the Senju eldars. No matter how annoying they were.

"Alright, that's enough! We're getting no where. Let's all just take the rest of today off and come back with clear heads tomorrow."

Several people jerked, clearly startled, and turned wide eyes on Izuna. He glared at everyone in turn then rolled his eyes. 

"Seriously? Go get some fresh air. Stretch. Something. It feels like you're about to start trading blows and that defeats the purpose of this meeting."

After three days of tense meetings and even more tense social gatherings Madara was relieved to see the others agree. 

Tobirama stood first, joints popping in a testament to the hours he had poured into reading all the purposals they had been presented. When he turned to his brother Hashirama waved him off with a sympathetic wince.

"Get some lunch Tobi. I know you missed breakfast to finish up those reports."

With a greatful nod he turned to Madara and Izuna and raised an inquiring brow, inviting them to join him. Izuna declined politely. Madara was nodding before he'd even fully processed the idea of lunch, alone, with Tobirama. He followed him into the village in a daze.

It was almost like a date! If lunch went well then maybe... maybe he would ask the man on a real date. Dinner at that nice sushi place he knew Tobirama wanted to try but wouldn't. Not when there was a perfectly nice and much more reasonably priced one closer to his clan's compound. He really needed someone to help him enjoy the finer things in life. Like going to a nice restaurant after rough week at the tower. Or a long soak in the hotsprings after a mission gone bad. 

His brain stalled a bit at the idea of seeing Tobi in a hotspring. He knew the Senju as a whole weren't body shy, lord knows he's seen more of Hashirama than he'd ever wanted to see, but he suspected that Tobirama was. With his pale coloring it wasn't hard to imagine the comments he must have heard growing up. That could cause all kinds of self image issues in a person. 

So lost in his daydreams of pale skin, loose limbs and water trailing down firm muscles, Madara almost walked right past the stall Tobirama had stopped at. A little sushi place, of course.

"This one was quite pleasant last time we were here. You enjoy inarizushi, correct?"

Heart thundering, he'd only mentioned it once that he knew of in the man's presence, Madara nodded. His reward was a pleased smile as the other ducked into the stall.

"Senju Tobirama! Welcome back!"

"Ayame-san."

Madara peeked in to see a middle aged woman at the stand and blinked in surprise. Normally it was men who ran sushi shops, silly but true. It was some odd civilian tradition.

He shuffled in quietly as the woman scolded Tobirama about the bags under his eyes and the stiffness of his shoulders. The younger man tolerated it with grace and an air of amusement. Even if the food was awful Madara was certian this was his favorite place in this horrible village.

... the food was delicious. The inarizushi was perfectly made and topped with pickled sakura blossoms, his absolute favorite. 

And they talked! Not about work or missions, but random little things they enjoyed. It wasn't fair. This would have been a perfect date!

"Would you care for a spar after this? I found a clearing near my favorite beach we could use, then we could perhaps relax near the water?"

The rest of lunch went by in a flash and the next thing he knew they were in a secluded clearing  
and shedding their formal outter robes.

***

Tobirama took a deep breath to center himself as he faced Madara. They had decided on a strictly taijutsu spar to avoid drawing any unwanted spectators. It had been going well, but after about half an hour Madara had stumbled to a stop and was just... staring. At his chest. Risking a quick peek showed nothing really out of place. Sure, his shirt had slipped a bit, but happens during a good spar.

Madara's voice, rough with some emotion, snapped his focus back in place.

"You have tattoos... more of them."

He felt his eyes widen, then a smirk tugged at his lips.

"Yes. Would you like to see?"

Without waiting for a response he loosened his shirt even more to show the red swirling across chest. Madara staggered forward a bit, eyes fixed on the markings. He was pretty sure he wasn't supposed to hear the quiet "fuck, Tobi" that escaped the older man.

Unable to stop a smile he quickly fixed his shirt and glanced at the other again. Madara seemed dazed, but pleased. He seemed to like tattoos. Really like them. Good. That was good. Tobirama wet his lips nervously and then quickly, before he talked himself out of it, made an offer.

"Take me on a date and I might let you see more of them."

Wide dark eyes snapped up and locked on his as a soft whine escaped the man.

"That's not fair... how am I supposed to focus on negotiations now?"

A helpless laugh escaped him, for it to turn into a started gasp when he was pulled into a sudden embrace.

"It was hard enough ignoring that prick when he was leering at you before when I couldn't even look at you." Madara's voice was more of a growl, sending light shivers down his spine.

"I don't mind when you're the one staring..."

The embrace tightened and a lightning quick kiss was pressed to the mark on his cheek.

"We can go to the new sushi place when we get back."

Surprise and delight filled him in equal measure. "It's a date then."

***

Hours later, after a long walk on the beach and a very pleasant conversation, they made their way back to the diplomat's house that had been assigned to their group.

The gasp that greeted them made them both jerk in surprise, and blinking as Izuna pointed gleefully at them.

"You're holding hands! You finally got together! I won the bet!"

"What bet?!"

Madara's indignant shout drew the the other who blinked then smiled at their still interlocked fingers. 

Hashirama ignored his friend's iritated shouts at Izuna who was cheering triumphantly, and beamed at his baby brother in delight. 

"I'm so happy for you Tobi! When's the first date? Where are you going? How did it happen? Was it romantic? Were there flowers? No, wait, you'd rather walk on the beach!" Hashirama babbled happily and looked them over, beaming raidently when he saw the sand on their feet and tackled them in a hug, "You did go to beach! That's so romantic!"

Madara squirmed, desperately trying to escape without letting go of his new partner. He'd wanted for so long that Hashirama and his insane hugs weren't getting him to let go. Ever. But he needed to wipe that smug look off his brothers face.

Izuna cackled at him. 

"I bet you would ask him out this week! Hikakuand Mito lost weeks ago!"

Madara glared at his brother and his friends wife, then snorted at them.

"Then you both lost. He asked me out."

The silence that fell was unnerving, even Hashirama went still n limp, allowing the new couple to escape his embrace. They watched in bemusement as Mito and Izuna turned stunned eyes on Hashirama, who blinked.

"Anata, you set this up didn't you?" Mito's voice was flat and devoid of emotion. Hashirama squawked in denial. 

"Of course not! How could I have set this up!? Izuna is the one who made sure they were alone together! I won fair and square! Even if I never win anything ever again you can't take this from me!"

'

Tobirama gave into the mirth bubbling up inside him when his brothers face twisted into a horrified grimce. 

Doubled over laughing he missed the besotted look Madara gave him, and only Hashirama heard him whisper.

"I'm the real winner here."


End file.
